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{
"id": 1398611,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398611/?format=api",
"text_counter": 261,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wamatinga",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13582,
"legal_name": "Wahome Wamatinga",
"slug": "wahome-wamatinga"
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"content": "William Samoei Ruto, we can deliver our farmers from the bondage of brokers. We can ensure that they get the rightful income from their hard work. Farming and agribusiness will be more attractive to young Kenyans. That is why I commend the Committee on Agriculture, led by my able Chairperson, Senator for Kirinyaga, Sen. (Dr.) Murango. He has ably steered the Committee in formulation and public participation of various Bills on cotton, coffee, tea, macadamia and avocado, which is on the way. Most importantly, to put in place a sound legal framework that will ensure that farmers do not only get their rightful dues, but are also encouraged and that the government puts the right infrastructure and mechanisms in place to ensure that farmers are no longer conned of their hard work. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this is a House of promoters and protectors of the devolution, the committee has seen into it that the role of the county government has not been marginalized, but left at the centre because agriculture is a devolved function. With the spirit that the president gave on his inauguration speech of ensuring that functions are unbundled and followed by the budget, we will see to it that this Bill ensures that the functions of the management of sugar like many other crops that have come before the agriculture committee, becomes a central player at that the county government. Why is this important? We know that Kenya has been facing the problem of rural- urban migration. The only way to ensure that the rural population, especially the younger generation get into meaningful generation of income is to make farming attractive. How can we make it attractive? We must have legal framework and the right policies in place. However, the most important is the political goodwill to attract and create incentives to the younger generation so that they can pick up farming. It is therefore imperative that we put in place legal mechanisms that will ensure every farmer who plants a seed, also harvest and reap the benefits. That has remained dodgy in many sectors and I am very happy that this Bill seeks to address the issues. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, we know the sugar industry for all the wrong reasons; poisoned sugar that is unfit for human consumption, sugarcane that does not meet the quality, sugarcane that has been delivered and never been paid for et cetera. The issues will be addressed with the introduction of this new Bill and the amendments introduced by this Committee. I am a very delighted Kenyan to see that; today, what has not been possible for the last 60 years - within one and a half years of us being sitting in this Committee; and the Kenya Kwanza Government, the plan that we promised the farmers in this country is being realised. The Government has subsidised fertiliser. These are some of the benefits that must trickle down to all the farmers, but has not been possible because of the governance and accountability issues and of well-defined legal framework. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, this Bill will ensure that what the Government subsidised gets to the farmer. It would be unfair not to say that the Government committed itself to all the debts that were owed to the sugarcane farmers and is in the process of doing the same for coffee farmers. Moving forward, we must ensure that the legal framework that is in place will ensure that farmers are not siphoned off their money. It cannot be the business of The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1398612,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398612/?format=api",
"text_counter": 262,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wamatinga",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": {
"id": 13582,
"legal_name": "Wahome Wamatinga",
"slug": "wahome-wamatinga"
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"content": "government for some people to enrich themselves only for the government to come and bail the farmers out. Having a clear starting slate will ensure that farmers of this country will not only enjoy their sweat but are also protected by the Government. That can only be done when it is anchored in a living document as envisaged in this Bill. There are however a few things that need to be amended as we move on. Having said that, it is also important to say that law in itself is not static. It is a flexible document that will change with time. Some of the clauses will need to be modified so that as we build capacity at the grassroots level, we will ensure that we also put in place regulations, operationalize the law by making sure that some of the impractical clauses can be amended. The introduction of sectors and zones in the sugar-growing sector is a welcome move. It is not only going to be good for elections but also for the millers to be able to create incentives so that they can get out growers and farmers who will prepare to sell sugar cane to them. In all other farming sectors, I know because I sit in this Committee, we are preparing ourselves, so that by the time we are with our term in this Senate, the history of this country and that of agriculture and the problems that have confronted it in this country will never be the same again. The commitment from our Chairperson Sen. (Dr.) Murango is that nobody again in this country will stand up and use the agricultural sector as a campaign tool. This is because we are going to do what it takes to ensure that what has been promised for the last 60 years is implemented. That is possible because we have a Government that is coming with a lot of political goodwill to ensure that we deliver the farmers of this country from the yoke and the bondage they have been suffering from people acting as brokers, go-betweens, and marketers. With the commitment of this Committee and the political goodwill from the national government and the fulfilment of the plan, yes, we will deliver the Kenyan farmers from the bondage of brokerage and oppressors. We want to change this country once and for all. I support."
},
{
"id": 1398613,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398613/?format=api",
"text_counter": 263,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Sen. Tabitha Mutinda?"
},
{
"id": 1398614,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398614/?format=api",
"text_counter": 264,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Tabitha Mutinda",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I rise to applaud this Committee, the Member from the National Assembly and our Member Sen. Wafula, who has also picked it up and the positive energy that we have seen from all the Members led by the Chairperson, Sen. (Dr.) Murango on the effort they have put in this Bill. We say that God’s timing is the best. The Bill is here now. So, we execute it. My first input is on the definition of the sugar catchment area. In it, you realize that it is an area where farmers are clustered within a suitable sugar catchment area for purposes of election to the Board. Now, if it is only for election, it leaves out a very key important point of cane management that the Committee should note. Even as far as consideration of the catchment is concerned, it is not only for election, but also for ensuring that cane management is a priority so that farmers can benefit from the levies that will be put in place. I have seen that the Board shall focus on activities that will add value. There is also export and local market which is very important. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1398615,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398615/?format=api",
"text_counter": 265,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Tabitha Mutinda",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "I have noted Clause 5(b) and I am very happy because it talks about the extension services. I have my Bill which is already at the National Assembly. I am happy to see that the Board adheres to services such extension for the farmers. Officers that shall be put within the county in the different offices will ensure research is going to be done as stipulated in the Bill. The Bill stipulates that there be a Sugar Research and Training Institute. It is very key. Proper investment in good research institutes will ensure that the yields will be maximum; the quality will be high and this is a benefit to both the farmers and to the market itself. Research is very key and I am happy to see the extension services in it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, I have noted that in Clause 6 it says- “the board shall comprise of--- The total number in place is nine. It talks about five representatives elected by the growers, two representatives elected by the private sector, the Principal Secretary from the Ministry, and all that. I have looked at other Bills, and when it comes to the composition of board members, the gender issue is very important. Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) are also very important. It is in my proposal that the Committee should, in terms of this Clause, apart from the nine members, add, like, two other members, for example, so that after the election, since at the election point, you cannot probably be able to determine if it is going to be this gender or this particular gender, but any additional will allow the members who are less in terms of gender, to add a member and this takes care of both genders. If women are more, then men cannot get an opportunity to have an additional person on the board. If men are more, women will have an opportunity to add one more person. In that regard, the opportunity for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) who need also to be part of this representation of the board will have an opportunity as far as that additional number is concerned. It will be wise and positive that the Committee ensures during the amendment, they can be able to consider that fact so that everyone is well represented in it. Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir, on Clause 6(iii), on the Board of Directors, it says- “Unless a person holds at least a degree or its equivalent in any discipline from any institution---” I have always disagreed with this fact very much. People are seconded to different institutions, to different levels of their work mandates but then I always ask the question - if we have had qualified students from our great learning institutions who have taken their time and identified their lines of discipline in education that they are studying, for example, the field of agriculture, why is it this being an agricultural area, that we should open it up and say, a degree or its equivalent in any discipline? Does it mean even someone who has done psychology is qualified? I am not demeaning, but of course, it is a completely very different field from the agricultural field. What about the students, the personnel who have taken their time and narrowed their education career to matters of agriculture? It would be wise for the Chairperson and the committee to give consideration or priority to degrees as far as the agricultural field is concerned, of course, from a Kenyan-recognised institution. There is no problem with that, but it should be much more specific so that our students who are out there, who have The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1398616,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398616/?format=api",
"text_counter": 266,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Tabitha Mutinda",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "taken their time and narrowed into the agricultural field, have an opportunity and fit into this particular board membership. Out of their knowledge, experience and skills, they will add much more input, putting in mind where we are coming from, and where we are as far as the sugar issue is concerned. I have noted that Clause 9A imposes a levy or levies upon growers and millers to give effect to the provisions of this Act. This issue of the levy is of course quite sensitive, but as far as I have looked at this Bill, the levies will take care of different issues as far as the development of infrastructure and research institutes are concerned. Administration funds are also needed, but it would be my advice to the committee to consider a single- digit levy as we have done with the housing levy when it comes to mortgage funds. It is a single digit. It would be wise for the Chairperson, Sen. (Dr.) Murango, to consider a single digit as far as the levies are concerned so that it does not put pressure on the farmers as this board is put in place. The other issue is on Clause 20 licensing and registration. A person shall not operate unless the board upon recommendation by relevant county governments for that purpose. It should be much more specific to the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) Agriculture at the county level. Further to that, for this license to be issued, the Bill should be able to guide in terms of the timelines that are needed to issue this license. It should be issued by the CECM within a stipulated timeline. There is no timeline in this. In some cases, farmers or millers will complain because they have done applications and the timelines are not specified. If people have some hidden agenda they might just delay approving or issuing licenses because there are no timelines. That affects many things. Clause 28(k) talks about breed and promote sugarcane varieties. It is very key so that these institutes can offer the highest quality of seedlings as far as the cane is concerned. Lastly is on the sugarcane development levy. Clause 38 (6)(d) states that 15 percent shall be applied for infrastructural development and maintenance and shall be managed by Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). We know very well that Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) takes care of the highways, Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) takes care of the urban roads and KeRRA the rural roads. The catchment areas shall be managed by KeRRA. I tend to disagree that these infrastructures should be developed by KERRA. KERRA is a national level body. At this point you realize that these levies are collected at the county level. Why do we want to collect monies at the county level and remit them to the national level? We will not then be supporting devolution. The amendment that the Committee should look at is to mention that these monies collected for development of the catchment areas--- Remember these are catchment areas that go where the farmers are. It would be prudent to say through the Committee of Finance and Budget that this should come as a conditional grant. Monies should be added to the counties, so that the counties are able to develop the infrastructure for the benefit of the farmers within different counties. However, if we give this money back to KeRRA, then we will not be adhering to what the Constitution allows us. With those many remarks, I support and congratulate the Committee for really taking it with the weight it deserves. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1398617,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398617/?format=api",
"text_counter": 267,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Tabitha Mutinda",
"speaker_title": "",
"speaker": null,
"content": "I thank you."
},
{
"id": 1398618,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398618/?format=api",
"text_counter": 268,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Wakili Sigei",
"speaker_title": "The Temporary Speaker",
"speaker": null,
"content": " Hon. Members there being no other Senator who wishes to contribute to this Bill--- Sen. (Dr.) Murango, the Chair confirms that you contributed yesterday to this Bill when you were tabling your report. Therefore, you are not eligible to still speak to it. Kindly resume your sit. I call upon the Mover to reply. Proceed Senate Majority Leader."
},
{
"id": 1398619,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398619/?format=api",
"text_counter": 269,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
},
"content": " Thank you, Mr. Temporary Speaker, Sir. I thank all our colleagues for taking time to speak to this important Bill. When I made my contributions yesterday, I indeed noted that this is a neglected sector of the economy. If we took time to plan and organize well as envisioned in manifesto of the Kenya Kwanza administration, then it has the potential to save our country billions of shillings that we use in importing sugar into the country to meet our annual deficit which is slightly over a million tones or below that. Secondly it will create employment by the fact that millions of farmers will benefit from an organized sugar sector. It cannot be the case that Brazil supplies a quarter of the world’s sugar demand. This is just one country. The case cannot be made worse than the fact that the leading producer of sugar in Africa is Egypt, a country that relies on water that traverses the sugar belt regions of our country, from River Nzoia, Sondu, and all the other rivers wash down the stream towards the River Nile. They are able to put the water to prudent use and grow good cane, which they sell to the rest of Africa. It is embarrassing. I am glad that we are finally getting it right to organize this sector to ensure it works for our farmers and the country. It is possible. I know for a fact because I understand the sugar industry well. Upon the passage of this Bill and good follow-up of all the proposals in this Bill, Kenya can be an exporter of sugar to the rest of the COMESA region and global supply chains in about three years. I thank my colleagues who have taken the time to contribute and raise important points on this issue and their proposals for how they want the sector to be better organized. I have taken a keen interest in the colleagues who, in the breakdown of the sugar levy, are concerned that if you send this money back to the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), what is the assurance that it shall be used to maintain some of our roads? These are good arguments. For example, if I take the County of Kericho and the sugar factories nearby; West Valley Sugar Company and Muhoroni Sugar Company Limited, they are supplied mainly by a road network that is comprised of both county and national Government. Therefore, there needs to be a balance. I have engaged Sen. (Dr.) Murango, the Chairperson of the Committee, that when we get to the Third Reading, perhaps, we can break this down further, so that there is a share of that allocation to KeRRA. Those funds must be ring-fenced to maintain the roads that lead to the sugar factories. If this fund were operational in that nature, the Kipsitet/Muhoroni junction between Kericho and Kisumu counties would not be in the kind of state it is in today. This important link road supports the sugar sub-sector in the two counties. However, it is in an extremely deplorable state yet, county governments The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
},
{
"id": 1398620,
"url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398620/?format=api",
"text_counter": 270,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Majority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 13165,
"legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
"slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
},
"content": "must maintain the feeder roads within the counties. Therefore, this is a conversation that we may want to have. Sen. (Dr.) Murango, I would like to give you a better idea. I told you that for many of these sugarcane farmer organizations, five per cent is a huge figure to give them from the sugar development levy. Part of this fund would be put to better use if farmers can access factories faster. You can slash and maintain it at one per cent or set it as a static figure of Kshs100 million. These farmer organizations have nothing do nothing more than advocacy. The rest of the important duties have been set up from research, maintaining roads, price stabilization and running the sugar board, which has been broken down. Therefore, when we get to the Committee of the Whole, we will rely on the wisdom of the Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries. Therefore, with those many remarks, I beg to reply. In accordance with Standing Order No. 66(3), I request that you defer the putting of the question to a later date in which you shall nominate. I thank you."
}
]
}